Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The POW T-Shirts promised a week or so ago are now available for sale. Priced very reasonably at $12 to members and $15 for non members, the shirts, which come in Navy Blue only, can be ordered from our surface mail address. An order form is now available for download on the website. Post and Packing will be $5 to Canadian addresses, $7 to the Continental US. All prices in Canadian dollars.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

The course being offered by POW over the May 2/3 weekend looks set to have a large number of students. Applications have been received from as far afield as Toronto and Montreal, reflecting the real need to provide this training. It's very gratifying for the organizers - and justifies the strong support being lent to the enterprise by Parks Canada. News of the course - and plans by POW for a major survey in Kingston waters this Summer - have caught the attention of many blogs and news sites with an interest in maritime history and shipwrecks. Late applications for the forthcoming course will be considered, but it's likely that there will be a waiting list.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Featuring a simple design on a Navy Blue shirt, new T-Shirts will be available in early May. The Organization's logo will be shown prominently on the front and centre, with the slogan 'Preserving the Past, Protecting the Future'. The website address will be displayed on the reverse.

Pricing on these garments will be very competitive, and POW members will enjoy a substantial discount on the regular price. Expect to see the shirts for the first time on the NAS course over the May 2/3 weekend.

The efforts of various members are beginning to pay off this year in terms of recognition of our activities. This feature appeared on the Queen's University media site recently. Generally accurate, it highlights the training in avocational nautical archaeology that we will offer in early May - and the survey to be carried out a little later this Spring and early Summer. Your President and Treasurer ( a Queen's prof) were also interviewed by CBC' Radio's local correspondent a few days ago on the subject of the survey and POW's work. Expect to hear that very soon.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Parks Canada have been good enough to provide the program for the course to be held in Kingston on May 2/3. It can be downloaded by clicking here. This course will be rich with examples of the Underwater Archaeological Service's uniquely Canadian experience. Places are still available. Application forms are available on our website (link opposite).

Monday, April 6, 2009

Many people interested in the maritime history of Lake Ontario will already possess Arthur Britton Smith's excellent book, "Legend of the Lake". The richly illustrated work tells the story of HMS Ontario, not only capturing the story of an important warship, but artfully outlining its role in the historical context of the development of Upper Canada.

Now, in the wake of the 2008 discovery of the wreck off the American shore of Lake Ontario, an updated edition of the book is available to readers. (ISBN: 1-55082-186-5) With the benefit of new imagery and knowledge of her fate, the book tells the whole story of HMS Ontario in three new chapters.

This is a must-have publication for anyone interested in sailing warships and the history of Lake Ontario and the communities that bordered it over the centuries.